An Inspector Calls - Plot Summary

An Inspector Calls – Plot Summary:

Act 1:

The play is set in 1912, in the fictional town of Brumley; the home town of Arthur Birling. There is a large suburban house, with large, solid furniture. However, the house had a cold and harsh atmosphere and was not cosy or homelike.

The Birling’s (Arthur, Sybil, Sheila and Eric) and Gerald Croft were celebrating Gerald and Sheila’s engagement. They represent the idea of a perfect middle-class family but, there is an atmosphere of underlying conflict and personal issues. Arthur Birling gives a speech to his son and future son in-law about how he is a hard-headed man of business and that he believes every man should provide and fend for himself. They are all thoroughly enjoying dinner when the maid enters and says that an Inspector has called and needs to talk to the family.

The Inspector enters and the mood immediately changes. The Inspector introduces himself as Inspector Goole and explains that a girl had died in the Infirmary after drinking disinfectant, suicide. One by one the Inspector questions each family member. It is revealed that Arthur Birling had fired a worker, the girl who died (Eva Smith), from his factory nearly a year ago because she had asked for sixteen shillings instead of 12 and sixpence. Birling denies that fact that he is responsible for the girl’s.

Eva Smith then got a job in Milward’s a department store. Sheila had her fired from her job because she had the power to do so and was having a bad day. It is later revealed that she changed her name to Daisy Renton. Gerald looks…